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Brigther teeth

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Want brighter teeth? What are your options…

Brigther Teeth

Teeth naturally darken with age – as a result of consuming staining food or drink, tobacco, or in cases where teeth have had root canals (and the tooth is now dead). Though teeth are not naturally bright white, rather a light grey/yellow shade, everyone wants a ‘Hollywood’ smile – it is attainable, but how?

Surface whiteners are usually in form of toothpastes with the addition of special abrasives to improve the products ability to remove stain. Cons: The effectiveness of these products is minimal, so if you have severe staining, you should choose one of the following options. [Read more…]

Fluoride

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LET’S BREAK THE CONTROVERSY ON FLUORIDE

fluoride- ottawa dentistry

What is fluoride? Fluoride is a naturally occurring element – it is found in soil and rocks, as well as in fresh and sea water.

What does fluoride do for your teeth? De-mineralization of your tooth enamel is inevitable every day due to the acids that erode your teeth, even with proper brushing and flossing. What fluoride helps to do is to reverse the effects of the de-mineralization process, reducing the risk for cavities and sensitivity.

A little bit of history about how ‘fluoride’ in dentistry came about… In the early 20th century a dentist came across something that was quite odd – some of his patients with heavily stained brown teeth were particularly resistant to tooth decay. He came to the realization after careful research that these teeth were stained as a result of fluorosis (excessive exposure to fluoride). The obvious solution to diminishing the amount of tooth decay in patients was to fluoridate local drinking water. [Read more…]

Toothbrush

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How do you brush your teeth? A guide on manual and electronic toothbrushes!

electrical vs manual

Electric toothbrushes have become more and more popular since the 1990’s, but the real question is… are they better than manual toothbrushes? From a dental professional point of view, there are several pros and cons to both techniques, which I will discuss further.

Manual Toothbrushes

  • Pros: – there are multiple toothbrush styles, so patients can choose the one that they enjoy best (though I would always suggest a soft or extra soft toothbrush… to be explained later) – easy to travel with… no need for batteries or chargers – very inexpensive
  • Cons: – you MUST use the proper brushing technique that your dental professional has instructed you to use (which can be difficult and time consuming) – if you use the WRONG technique and the WRONG toothbrush, you can cause detrimental damage to your teeth and gingiva (gums) including gingival recession and abfractions (loss of enamel)

Electric Toothbrushes

  • Pros: – Easy to use… all you have to do is hold the toothbrush head at a 45 degree angle and rest it on the teeth, and the job is done, plain and simple – It takes less time and less work to do a BETTER job, in removing plaque and debris from your teeth – Most electric toothbrushes have timers and technique indicators, giving you less to worry about as you brush your teeth… also easier for children to gage how long they should be brushing – Because it is electric, patients feel they’re teeth are CLEANER than if they did it with a manual toothbrush
  • Cons: – you must ensure your toothbrush is always charged… if the battery is not charged, HOW WILL YOU BRUSH YOUR TEETH????? – COST… electric toothbrushes cost significantly more than manual toothbrushes – they can be easily broken, so you need

At the end of the day, the type of toothbrush you use is up to you… you simply need to acquire the knowledge required to brush appropriately for your unique dental situation – this information can be attained by your dentist at Florence Dentistry.

To learn more about toothbrushes please read the following links:

Electrical vs. Manual Toothbrush

Electrical or Manual?

Periodontal Disease

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Get in the know – Periodontal Disease

periodental disease

What is Periodontal disease?

‘Gum’ or periodontal disease has several different levels of progression.

Stage 1: Gingivits – Our mouths are full of a substance called plaque and plaque is a vehicle for a world of bacteria that cause ‘gum’ disease. Plaque that is not removed during proper brushing and flossing solidifies creating calculus, also known as tartar. Tartar can only be removed professionally by a dentist or hygienist and if it is not removed, gingivitis becomes evident. Classic signs of gingivitis are bleeding, red, swollen gums. [Read more…]

Gingival Recession Treatment Ottawa

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Gingival Recession Treatment

Your NON-invasive cure to gingival recession: Dr Chao’s pinhole surgical technique

Gingival recession treatment Ottawa

What is gingival recession?
‘Gum recession’ is when the gums start to wear away and expose more of the tooth crown or root due to invasive brushing, periodontal disease, smoking and grinding or clenching. Recession can lead to excessive sensitivity and a greater susceptibility to root decay (cavities on the root surface).

Typically, in past years one of the only ways to treat gingival recession was ‘soft tissue grafting’. This treatment is very invasive and has a long recovery period. The treatment involves removing soft tissue from the palate of the mouth, and surgically transplanting the tissue to the site in which the recession is involved.

How is the ‘pinhole surgical technique’ different?

Dr Chao has developed a ground breaking technique to reversing the effects of gingival recession. It is non-invasive and does not include any gingival grafting what-so-ever. It takes little time (generally 1 hour) and is virtually painless.

Of course the tissue needs to be ‘frozen’ with the use of local anaesthesia, but this is simply to satisfy your own comfort. Next, a tiny entry point the size of a ballpoint pen tip I made adjacent to the tooth being treated. A minuscule tool developed by Dr Chao is inserted into the hole, and the gingival tissue is moved into the correct position. Collagen strips are then inserted beneath the gingival tissue, which keeps the tissue in place until the body has time to regenerate its own collagen.

The hole will heal completely and be undetectable within a day after treatment. The American Dental Society reveals that HALF of Americans between the age of 18 and 65 already have gingival recession – and treatment is usually set aside because the old technique seemed far to invasive and patients were put off by reading reviews. This new technique will set waves of improvement in action in the world of dentistry!

Where can I receive this treatment?
While you should have a thorough exam done by your dentist before embarking upon any dental related procedure, you can rest assured that your local dentist at Florence Dentistry is fully trained and capable of providing you with the proper care for your teeth and treating your gingiva with the ‘pinhole surgical technique’.

 

More about the Pinhole surgical technique.

Mouthwash Tips

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Mouthwash Florence Dentistry

Deciding to add mouthwash to your dental routine? Here are some helpful facts you should know about mouthwash.

Before deciding to add mouthwash to your routine, keep in mind that it can’t do everything that brushing your teeth does. Mouthwash cannot be simply added to replace your brushing routine. You must still continue to brush twice daily.

Therefore if adding it to your routine, it should be only to freshen your breath. There are different types of mouthwash, such as some that contain fluoride, which helps to protect teeth against plaque bacteria. [Read more…]

Xylitol – Promote your healthy smile

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Xylitol Ottawa Dentist

What is Xylitol?

Xylitol is a natural, non-fermentable sweetener that helps correct PH imbalances in the mouth, which can lead to tooth decay and periodontal disease caused by bacteria. It is added to several different edible products that everyone will enjoy!

[Read more…]

New Year’s Resolution: Good Oral Health

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New Year New You!

New Year's Resolution

The year 2015 has begun, and it is time to make some changes. One important New Year’s resolution one can make for themselves is to stay healthy! Oral health is a very important aspect of our overall health. Make your New Year’s resolution for 2015 to maintain your oral health.

New Year’s Resolutions aren’t always easy to follow, but oral care isn’t as hard as you think! In order to ensure you stay on track with your New Year’s resolution, here are some steps that you can take: [Read more…]

Problems of Stress On Oral Health

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Stress on Oral Health- Florence Dentistry

Too much stress can affect your entire body, including your mouth. There are several oral problems that can occur due to high stress levels.

-Mouth sores, including canker sores and cold sores.

-Teeth Grinding. Stress may make you grind your teeth or clench them. This can occur during the day or it may even occur without you knowing during your sleep. Grinding your teeth can lead to other problems such as TMJ.

-Neglect of oral care/ bad diet. Stressful situations can lead to forgetting to take care of your teeth or a bad diet. This results in several oral problems. [Read more…]

Foods that Fight Odor

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Foods that Fight Odor- Florence Dentistry

There are several foods that fight odor, provide a quick fix, and result in fresh breath!

  1. Parsley, peppermint, and spearmint

The oils that are in these herbs are very strong and overpower any odors. These herbs act as a mouthwash, and not only do they hide odor but they leave you with a fresh, pleasant smelling breath.

  1. Milk

Drinking a glass of milk with your meal can get rid of the smell of garlic. Next time you enjoy some garlic bread with your meal, be sure to have a glass of milk too. The milk reduces sulphur compounds in the garlic that create the odors.

  1. Vegetables and Fruits

Vegetables and fruits  that are high in vitamin C are also considered to be foods that fight odor. For example broccoli or red bell peppers fight odor as they create an environment in your mouth where bacteria doesn’t want to be.

  1. Sugarless Gum

Gum is also considered to be part of “foods that fight odor”. By chewing gum you release food trapped in gums, as well as dead cells from your teeth or tongue. Another bonus is that gum has a nice smell to it that overpowers the odor!

  1. Water!

Water may not have a strong overpowering smell to it, but it flushes out any bacteria in your mouth and allows for your mouth to be cleansed.

  1. Yogurt

Yogurts are part of foods that fight odor as they also lower the levels of sulfide compounds. It has been shown in studies that by eating sugar-free yogurt that contains probiotics twice a day for several weeks reduces bad breath.

We hope that this list of foods that fight odor will help you, and allow for you to have nice fresh breath!

Read more about foods that fight odor:

Bad Breath: Good and Bad Foods

5 foods that fight bad breath

11 Ways to Fight Bad Breath Naturally

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6 Florence Street
Ottawa
Ontario
K2P 0W7

(613)-722-0919


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Services

Ottawa Neuromuscular dentistry
Ottawa Dentures
Ottawa Teeth Whitening
Ottawa Invisalign & Braces
Ottawa Sleep Apnea & Snoring
Ottawa Cosmetic Dental Care
Ottawa Orthodontics
Ottawa Restorative Dental Care

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Days Hours
Monday 9:00am – 5:00pm
Tuesday 11:00am – 7:00pm
Wednesday 12:00pm – 8:00pm
Thursday 9:00am – 5:00pm
Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday Emergency Only
Sunday Closed

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